


and the stars aligned for us

by unmootivated



Series: Edeleth Short Stories [3]
Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Byleth canonically likes to drink, Crimson Flower, F/F, Post-Time Skip, post-Chapter 15: Tempest of Swords and Shields
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-03
Updated: 2020-08-03
Packaged: 2021-03-06 06:07:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,204
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25698577
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/unmootivated/pseuds/unmootivated
Summary: And in the candlelight flickering from her room, Edelgard thought she could see a faint dusting of pink spread across her professor’s cheeks.“Professor,” Edelgard began slowly, then paused hesitantly as Byleth nodded at the younger woman to continue. “Are you… drunk?”Alternatively: Byleth has a little too much to drink. (But maybe not enough.)
Relationships: Edelgard von Hresvelg & My Unit | Byleth, Edelgard von Hresvelg/My Unit | Byleth
Series: Edeleth Short Stories [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1839928
Comments: 10
Kudos: 163





	1. Chapter 1

“To our recent victory over the Knights of Seiros!” Ferdinand shouted as he raised his mug of beer high above his head. The rest of the Black Eagles cheered in echoing cries of triumph as they, too, raised their own beverages into the air.

Edelgard looked around her at the jubilant looks on her friends’ faces and attempted to mirror their gaiety with a smile of her own. A little over two weeks had passed since the Imperial army’s successful defense of Garreg Mach against the Knights of Seiros. Yet despite the joy radiating from all around her, Edelgard could not help but to feel a twinge of grief.

At the time, the battle against the Knights of Seiros had been a harrowing tempest of swords and shields, with severe losses on both sides. Hence, while the Imperial army had eventually managed to prevail over their enemies, their success had ultimately been a narrow victory. Edelgard, in particular, could still feel a small heaviness weighing her down from the loss of two of her best generals. 

But the emperor of Adrestia was never one to dwell in sorrow for too long. She was determined to continue pushing forward with her campaign regardless of how bloody her path got.

For a better Fódlan, her generals’ sacrifices would not be in vain. And neither would her enemies’.

And so, with renewed resolve, Edelgard pushed aside the remains of her sadness and replaced her faux smile with a more genuine one. Tonight, the Imperial army would be both celebrating their victory and honoring their fallen friends and foes alike. And at present, the Adrestian emperor could think of no better company to be in than that of the Black Eagle Strike Force.

Beside her, Hubert gave a nod of approval as the Black Eagles dispersed to mingle amongst themselves. “It’s good to see everyone’s morale so high. They’ll be even more motivated to fight well in the coming battles. A wise decision to agree to having this celebration, Your Majesty.”

Edelgard gave a small hum of agreement. While she wasn’t exactly keen on Hubert labelling the choice of having a post-battle celebration as a strategic move of hers, she found that she didn’t quite disagree with what the Minister of the Imperial Household had said.

She also found that she was rather not in the mood to discuss further military affairs with Hubert at the moment. And as Hubert continued to say something or the other about future tactics and battle strategies, Edelgard uninterestedly glanced up from where she was seated to let her eyes wander around the dining hall, casually searching for Byleth. She desired a conversation with her dear professor.

She let out another small hum when her eyes landed on a familiar mop of unruly bright green hair. Hubert ceased his ramblings upon noticing his liege’s lack of attention, following her gaze to the commander of the Black Eagle Strike Force on the other side of the dining hall.

Byleth sat perched on a table surrounded by several Black Eagle members. The commander had a knee propped up on the tabletop, with her other leg dangling over the edge. She nursed a wooden mug in her hands, and a small smile graced her features as she tilted her head to the side, listening intently to whatever Caspar and Manuela were saying to her.

There was a light tap on Edelgard’s shoulder. The monarch turned her head as Dorothea sidled up beside her, a knowing smile on her lips. Edelgard frowned suspiciously when the songstress then turned away from the emperor to address the entire Black Eagle Strike Force.

“Hadn’t our magnificent emperor been just fantastic out on the battlefield?” Dorothea nearly sang, her hands clasped tightly together as she glanced back down at Edelgard. “Why, I would even say that Edie here probably took down half of the Knights of Seiros all by herself!”

“Now, let’s not exaggerate,” Edelgard chided, shooting a quick glare in the songstress’s direction before facing the Black Eagles herself. “ _Everyone_ here had fought with great skill out on the battlefield. We only prevailed because we all worked together as a team. I am proud of _all of us_.” Edelgard smiled as the Black Eagles cheered in agreement with their leader. 

“Wonderfully said, Edie,” Dorothea tittered, but Edelgard could still see a mischievous glint in the songstress’s eye as Dorothea turned to look at the strike force’s military commander. “But what do _you_ think, Professor?”

_Ah._

Light teal eyes locked with lilac ones as the commander looked up to meet the emperor’s gaze.

“You were incredible out there, Edelgard.” Byleth’s voice was mild and calm even as she projected it loudly across the room. “It really had been because of you that we were able to push back the last of the enemy forces so succinctly in the end.” The corners of Byleth’s lips twitched as her smile widened. “Well done.”

Warmth bloomed from within Edelgard at Byleth’s praise. The emperor would never tire of hearing her professor’s express approval.

“I am honored you thought so. But, my teacher, you too deserve great credit for our success,” Edelgard replied warmly. “The marvelous way in which you led the Black Eagle Strike Force to victory had been a sight to behold.” Her own smile widened to match Byleth’s. “The tide of war has truly been in our favor ever since your glorious return to our ranks.”

The rest of the Black Eagles had gone awfully quiet as they exchanged knowing looks with one another. Dorothea was brimming with excitement as she clapped her hands together in pure delight. “Well then! Why don’t the rest of us head outside for some fresh air? I’m sure our emperor and our professor here have much to discuss about the next steps in this war! And we all certainly wouldn’t want to be in the way of that.”

Edelgard tore her gaze from Byleth’s to look at Dorothea in bewilderment. What scheme had the strike force come up with behind the emperor’s back?

“That includes you, Hubie,” Dorothea added as the other Black Eagles began to make their exit from the dining hall. She grabbed the dark mage by the arm. “Come along now!”

Edelgard thought it was highly suspicious how Hubert barely put a fight against Dorothea’s antics. The emperor watched, in a mix of confusion and mistrust, as Hubert willingly allowed himself to be dragged out of the dining hall.

She sighed, then turned her gaze back to the only other woman in the room. Byleth had a hand extended out to Edelgard from her seat on the table.

“I don’t suppose you know what they’re up to?” she asked Byleth as she got up and walked over to take the offered hand in her own. 

“What Dorothea said. They left to give us time to talk about war plans.” There was an innocent look on Byleth's face. Tightening her grip around Edelgard’s hand, Byleth then easily hoisted the smaller woman up onto the table beside her.

“You can’t honestly believe that!” Edelgard gave Byleth an incredulous look. She let go of Byleth’s hand to better position herself on the table. “Thank you.”

“Of course.” Byleth smiled again, then leaned close to Edelgard as she brushed a stray strand of white hair from the emperor’s face, tucking it neatly behind an ear. Byleth’s fingers lingered at the base of Edelgard’s head, the professor’s warm breath tickling Edelgard’s cheek. Violet eyes met light green ones once more.

“But you’re right. I don’t believe that.” Byleth’s voice was low and quiet. Edelgard’s breath caught in her throat as a shiver ran down her spine. Neither woman moved away. A beat of silence passed between them.

“Edelgard…”

For a brief moment, Edelgard let herself forget the two’s relationship to one another. She allowed herself to pretend that there wasn’t still a war to be fought and that she could just be a young girl happy and in love.

That Byleth returned her affections.

They were so close. If Edelgard leaned forward just a small bit more, they would-

“Your hair looks nice tied up like that. You should wear it like this more often.”

The illusion shattered. Edelgard sucked in a shaky breath and scooted away. She tried to ignore the hurt she felt at Byleth’s confused look.

~~❀~~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here’s a little short story idea I wanted to try out. Split into 3 chapters for easier reading. ^^


	2. Chapter 2

The two women sat and chatted about various frivolous topics for a long while.

“I once caught a fish that was this big,” Byleth said with a small hint of pride in her voice. She held her arms wide out before her to demonstrate the size.

“No, you didn’t,” Edelgard laughed, playfully shoving at Byleth’s propped up knee. Byleth let out a small gasp as she feigned offense at the denial of her statement, but the smirk on her face gave her away.

“I guess the next time I catch a fish that large, I’ll just have to bring it to you so that you can see for yourself.”

“I would love that.” There was a soft smile on Edelgard’s face. The sight of it made Byleth’s unbeating heart swell with warmth.

She opened her mouth to reply, but another voice cut in before she could.

“My sincerest apologies for the intrusion, Your Majesty, Professor.” Hubert’s deep and solemn voice could be heard as the two on the table turned their heads in the direction of the dark mage. Byleth blinked in surprise. She hadn’t even noticed him coming in.

The Minister of the Imperial Household gave a small bow as he continued on, “But Your Majesty still has some very important documents that need to be addressed for this ongoing war.”

Edelgard pinched the bridge of her nose, and Byleth could see the Adrestian emperor trying and failing to suppress a heavy sigh as she responded in a clipped tone, “Tonight’s supposed to be a night of festivity. Can’t the paperwork wait until tomorrow?”

“Perhaps Your Majesty has had too much to drink. You know this can’t wait long.”

“I…” Edelgard paused, before sighing again. “You’re right. I know you’re right.”

Hubert offered a gloved hand, and Edelgard mumbled a small thanks as the ever-loyal aide helped the emperor down from the table. When she turned to look back at Byleth, a light smile returned to the younger woman’s face.

“Please enjoy the rest of your night, my teacher,” she said quietly. She reached out with both hands to give one of Byleth’s hands a tender squeeze. “I’ll see you tomorrow.” She let go and took a step back.

Byleth returned the other woman’s smile. “Tomorrow,” she repeated softly. “Goodnight, Edelgard.”

“A good night to you, Professor,” Hubert said with a respectful nod of his head toward Byleth. 

“And to you, Hubert.”

And with that, Byleth watched in growing melancholy as the pair turned and walked away, leaving the dining hall. The smile slipped from the professor’s face. She contemplated getting off the table to go get another tankard of beer.

“Why the long face, Professor?”

Byleth’s head swiveled in the direction of the voice to find Manuela leaning against a different doorway to the dining hall, peering at her fellow former Academy instructor with great interest. The Imperial doctor’s face was slightly red, a sign of how she had been overindulging in alcohol all night long. In one hand, she held a mug brimming with ale, an indicative of how she had yet to stop.

Manuela put her free hand on her hip when Byleth’s only response was to continue staring listlessly at the other woman.

“Professor! Don’t tell me Edelgard broke your heart, did she?”

Byleth shook her head, frowning. Why would Edelgard break her heart? Edelgard always filled Byleth’s heart with such happiness whenever she was around. If anything, Edelgard’s absence was what was really hurting Byleth’s unmoving heart.

_Oh._

“Well, this won’t do at all! Come, Professor. Let’s go for another round of drinks. Trust me, I know a thing or two about heartbreaks… And a good drink will really help keep your mind off of whatever the emperor did to your poor, aching soul.”

_Wait-_

Byleth barely had time to protest what Manuela had just said before the healer grabbed onto the younger professor and manhandled her out of one of the dining hall’s exits.

~❀~

“So you mean to tell me that you’re _not_ suffering from a tragic heartbreak? You were just being… you?”

“Sorry…”

“Oh, how embarrassing… And don’t be sorry, my dear. I’m just glad you and Edelgard are doing alright.”

The two former faculty members of the Church of Seiros sat by the stairs leading up to the entrance hall, each sitting on a different step as they watched the people of the market amble by and go about their business. The duo had drunk the evening away as Byleth explained what had actually happened between her and Edelgard, and the two relished in each other’s company until the stars engulfed the sky above.

“Wait, what happened between the professor and Edelgard?”

Byleth angled her head back as Caspar trotted his way over to them. He, too, had a mug of Adrestian ale in one of his hands. Byleth smiled in greeting as the blue-haired man plopped down on another stair step to join them in their drinking session.

Manuela waved a hand dismissively at the younger man. “Nothing’s happened. Edelgard’s got Imperial things to do, so I’ve just been keeping the professor here some company.”

“Oh,” Caspar said as he turned toward Byleth. “Hey, Professor. Are you really okay?”

“I’m fine,” Byleth chuckled, both touched and amused by her comrades’ concern.

A smile lit up on Caspar’s face at Byleth’s response. “Great! Then how about a drinking contest? I hear you used to drink a lot back in your mercenary days. And then, later at the Officers Academy, that you could outdrink even Manuela here.”

“ _Hey_ , I can hear you. And she could not.” The doctor gave a harrumph, then chugged the rest of her current mug of beer down as if that somehow proved her point.

“I don’t get why you’re so upset. Being an alcoholic isn’t exactly a reputation to be proud of.” Caspar rubbed the back of his head in confusion.

“Well, I want in,” Manuela retorted. “Prepare to lose, you two.”

The subsequent impromptu drinking competition went about as well as could be expected.

The three headed back to the dining hall and drank to their heart’s content. True to her word, Manuela completely crushed the other two in their little contest by downing more than half of the dining hall’s remaining storage of beer. At the Imperial doctor’s behest, Byleth and Caspar then hauled a large barrel of beer back to their previous spot by the marketplace's stairs, where the two “losers” were to now compete for second place.

Not that Byleth particularly cared for the whole thing.

In fact, as she cradled a wooden mug in her hands, Byleth distantly wondered how Edelgard was doing. Even in the midst of war, the Adrestian emperor had so many Imperial responsibilities and administrative duties to attend to. The sooner the nobility was gotten rid of, the better.

The former mercenary and now Imperial commander threw her head back to down the rest of the beer in her mug. She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, then glanced at the now empty mug held loftily in her other hand. A part of her debated whether to go get another refill.

“I got to say, Professor! You really do know how to drink,” Caspar said as he clasped a hand on Byleth’s shoulder. The young blue-haired man had a wide open-mouthed grin on his face and his cheeks were flushed red.

Byleth let out a small chuckle, smiling warmly at the Imperial army general. “I think I’ve had enough. You’ve beaten me, Caspar. Well done.” She actually planned to get more ale after Caspar retired for the night. But the younger man didn’t need to know that.

Caspar scowled at this, “You’re lying!” He shook his own mug in his other hand, a small amount of ale sloshing out of the cup at the rough movement. “But I get it, it’s not good to drink so much.” The smile returned to his face as Caspar kicked back the remaining dregs of his beer.

“Yeah! I drank more than the Professor!” he cheered as he pumped his empty mug into the air.

“Pipe it down a notch, would you, dear?” Manuela said, her voice slurring toward the end. “Ugh, it’s too early for a headache. I haven’t even drank that much.” A hand massaged her forehead as the Imperial doctor leaned back on the stair behind her.

Byleth looked at the other woman worriedly. Manuela had consumed twice as much ale as Caspar had. And three times as much as Byleth had.

“Oh, don’t look at me like that.” Manuela turned her attention to the Black Eagles’ commander. “All bug-eyed and concerned.” She let out a hearty laugh as she continued on, “Though I suppose that’s part of your charm! Oh, it really is a shame you’re not a man. You would be perfect.”

Byleth frowned. “Perfect for what?”

The healer slumped further down on the step as she sloppily brought her beer mug to her lips. “Nevermind, my dear.” She took a large gulp of the amber liquid before hiccuping loudly. “Ah, how does Edelgard deal with you…”

Byleth staggered onto her feet, a sudden bout of dizziness in her head catching her off-guard. Perhaps all the alcohol she had consumed was finally taking its toll on her body. It was hardly enough to keep her down, though. The former mercenary had drunken far more in the past.

She shook her head to clear the mild muddiness from her mind. “I’m going for a walk.”

“We’ll be here,” Manuela drawled as Caspar bobbed his head up and down in agreement. 

“I’ll look after Manuela,” Caspar assured the professor. He curled a hand into a fist and gave his chest a light smack, the grin never leaving his face. “Soldier’s honor!”

Byleth smiled and gave the younger man a nod of approval. She then spun away on her heel, walking briskly into the marketplace.

~❀~

Byleth strolled through the marketplace, her eyes darting left and right as she checked out the various goods on display at the many different stalls all around her.

“Hey there, Professor! What are you drinking there?”

A familiar high-pitched voice carried over the hubbub of the marketplace crowd, and Byleth looked for the voice, her eyes landing on a red-haired woman waving eagerly at her. She stopped by the merchant’s stall as the woman continued to energetically beckon her over.

Byleth raised her empty mug in a greeting. “Adrestian ale,” she replied tonelessly. “Sell any?”

“Oh, that cheap stuff. No, I don’t,” Anna said, craning her neck as she peered into Byleth’s mug. “And I hate to tell you this, Professor, but you’re not actually drinking anything. Your cup’s got nothing in it.”

Byleth shrugged as she lowered her arm. “I meant to go get a refill.”

“Uh-huh. Sure you did,” Anna crooned lightly, moving to the side to pat at a cloth-covered crate near her. “But I do have something else you might like. A delicacy imported straight from Almyra!”

Byleth took a step closer, intrigued. “What is it?”

“One of Almyra’s many exquisite wines!” Anna boasted, almost puffing her chest out at her own statement. “Have a sample! I’ll say it’s even wine fine enough for an _emperor_.”

The merchant gave a dramatic wink as she pulled out a wine bottle and flipped the top off with great ease. She then deftly snatched the empty mug from Byleth’s hand and poured a small amount of the wine into the container.

Byleth stared blankly at the swirling purple liquid in her cup. Fine enough for an emperor, huh? Byleth only knew of one emperor. She supposed she would just have to take Anna’s word for it. She took a sip of the drink. The wine’s flavor had been slightly tinged with that of the lingering beer in the cup. The wine wasn’t bad, though.

“Did you really import this or did you steal it off some Almyran ships that just so happened to be near Derdriu last month…?”

“ _Hey_.” The merchant glared at the other woman before her indignantly. “I’m not selling to someone who implies that I’m some lowly thief!”

Byleth raised a hand in mock surrender, grinning sheepishly. “Alright, alright. How much for a bottle?”

“For you? Just the small price of 50,000 gold pieces!”

Byleth gawked at the red-haired woman. Was this because she had unintentionally insulted the merchant just seconds ago?

“Hm. Maybe you’re not as drunk as I thought. I guess the rumors are true that you really can hold your drink after all, Professor.” Anna tapped a forefinger on her chin thoughtfully.

“Since you are one of my best customers, how about 25,000 gold pieces instead? Half off! Just for tonight. In spirit of the Adrestian army’s great defensive victory and all that.”

Byleth grumbled in agreement as she fished out her money pouch and gave Anna the requested amount in exchange for a new bottle of wine. The army commander could certainly feel the difference in weight as she returned the pouch back to its place by her hip.

She hoped that she had made the right choice in purchasing this pricey bottle of wine. More importantly, she hoped that Edelgard would enjoy the drink. Byleth knew that Edelgard always did prefer wine to beer after all.

Byleth gave the merchant a farewell nod before turning around to leave.

“They’ll never believe that I made the esteemed professor look at me with such a look of absolute shock!” Anna’s overly pleased and exuberant voice could be heard in the distance even as Byleth swiftly walked away. She shook her head, though a small smile found its way onto her face; she would never truly understand the eccentric merchant.

~❀~

As she arrived back at the stairway before the entrance hall, Byleth frowned. Manuela and Caspar were no longer there. Byleth briefly pondered where the two might have gone. She didn’t have to wonder for long, however.

“ _Professor_! Is that more drink?” Manuela sounded highly amused despite her overall scolding tone. Byleth turned to face her two approaching comrades as Manuela continued on, “I thought you had said you were done for the night.”

Manuela’s arm was slung around Caspar’s shoulders, the younger man doing his best to help keep the doctor upright despite his own inebriation.

“It’s for Edelgard.”

“Ooh, how romantic,” Manuela cooed. Byleth could see an idea brewing in the doctor’s head as Manuela perked up, her eyes practically glowing as she turned a sharp gaze on the other woman before her. “I might not be getting laid tonight, but perhaps we could get you-”

Manuela let out an irritated cry as Caspar tripped over a small stone jutting out of the pavement, nearly bringing the doctor down with him. “ _Hey_. Be careful!” 

Byleth’s frown deepened, not liking where the conversation was going. “Edelgard and I are just friends.” She lifted the bottle of wine and gave it a little shake. “It’s just a gift.”

Manuela straightened her back, looking very serious despite the redness of her face. “So the two of you aren’t there yet. Not a problem.” She let go of Caspar to wobble over to Byleth, and Byleth worriedly reached out to catch the doctor as Manuela steadied herself on Byleth’s arm.

“Thank you, dear,” Manuela said, awkwardly patting Byleth on said arm. “Now as I was saying just now. You have to woo the emperor before courtship.”

“No, you weren’t,” Caspar piped up. The warrior was busy stretching, relieved that Manuela had finally gotten off of him.

“Yes, I was.” Manuela glared at the light blue-haired man.

“Okay,” Byleth interrupted coolly, choosing to intervene lest the two began to get into an endless to-and-fro of yeses and noes. With nothing else planned for the night, she decided to humor Manuela for the moment. “What should I do?”

“Oh, I’m so glad you’re deciding to go along with this!” Manuela beamed at the younger professor, then pointed at a stand in the corner of the marketplace. The doctor urged Byleth to lead them toward it. “Now, wine is a great place to start. Helps loosen some lips. But you’ll also need another gift.”

~~❀~~


	3. Chapter 3

Rounded eyes stared up at Edelgard as she drew a long line on the parchment before her, adding yet another intricate detail to her sketch of her beloved professor. The emperor of Adrestia looked on in satisfaction as she continued to doodle on the page, singing softly to herself as she tapped her foot along to an unheard melody in her head. A stack of documents remained untouched in a corner of her desk.

“Reach for my hand… I’ll soar away…” 

A loud, insistent knocking at the double door disrupted the young woman’s thoughts. The quill pen fell from Edelgard’s hand as she abruptly stood up from her chair, her knee banging the top of her desk as she did so. She bit back a yelp of pain as she called out a tad too frantically, “Who is it?” With a hurried sweep of her hand, she threw some documents over her drawing. 

_Please not be Hubert..._

“It’s me, Byleth.”

Edelgard’s shoulders stiffened at the sound of her professor’s muffled voice from behind the wooden doors. What was her dear teacher doing here at this ungodly hour of the night?

She glanced back at her desk. Her portrait of Byleth laid safely hidden beneath a mess of Imperial reports and other important paperwork. Squaring her shoulders and tilting her chin up ever so slightly, Edelgard turned and strode over to the doorway, swinging both doors wide open.

She was greeted with the sight of Byleth standing before her, the professor swaying lightly on her heels. Byleth’s turquoise-colored eyes seemed to brighten and her lips curved upward into a wide grin upon seeing the other woman.

“Hello, Edelgard.”

And in the candlelight flickering from her room, Edelgard thought she could see a faint dusting of pink spread across her professor’s cheeks.

“Professor,” Edelgard began slowly, then paused hesitantly as Byleth nodded at the younger woman to continue. “Are you… drunk?”

“I might be a tiny bit tipsy,” Byleth confessed a little guiltily, but the silly grin on her face only grew wider at her admission. She raised an elbow, offering her arm to the other woman before her. “Care for a late night walk?”

Edelgard frowned worriedly at her professor’s unusual behavior. “Perhaps it would be a better idea to take you back to your room so that you can get some rest.” She paused as she glanced back over her shoulder at the papers scattered all over her desk. “Besides, as much as I would love to...” The rest of her words died on her lips as Edelgard turned back to look at Byleth.

Byleth had dropped her arm and was now staring at Edelgard with big, round eyes. The corners of her lips had turned downward, and if Edelgard hadn’t known better, she would have sworn that her dear teacher was _pouting_.

Edelgard looked away, eyes focused on a suddenly very interesting nondescript spot on a random wall of her room. She took a deep breath to calm her nerves before turning back to look at Byleth. 

“Alright,” the emperor relented. “I suppose I could use a small break.”

Byleth beamed happily as a giddy smile returned to her face, and Edelgard let out a soft sigh of defeat as she stepped out of her room and into the passageway.

“Where to, my teacher?”

~❀~

A comfortable silence fell over the two as they walked side by side and arm in arm along one of the monastery’s many stony pathways. Edelgard closed her eyes momentarily as they meandered down yet another path, cherishing the feel of the cool night air on her skin.

“I wanted to show you something, actually,” Byleth said, breaking the silence. She immediately stilled on the path.

Edelgard likewise halted, her arm still tightly wound around the other woman’s arm as she gazed up at Byleth curiously. “Oh? And what would that be?”

Byleth’s eyes practically sparkled under the nearby torchlights as she eagerly turned the two around to head back down the path they had come. “It’s at the Star Terrace. You’ll see!”

“You really won’t tell me?” Edelgard mused aloud, her curiosity piquing. Her gaze flickered back to the woman beside her when she didn’t get an immediate response back.

“Professor?”

“You’ll see,” Byleth repeated enigmatically as the pair began to ascend a flight of stairs. They soon arrived at the top of the stairs and rounded the corner leading to the terrace.

“Wait! Close your eyes,” Byleth yelped, hastily letting go of Edelgard’s arm when they reached the double doors at the end of the corridor. The professor hurriedly stepped before the young monarch. “Promise not to open them until I say so?” She put her hands flat together, mimicking a prayer pose.

One of Edelgard’s eyebrows rose as she crossed her arms and shot Byleth a puzzled look. Byleth stuck the bottom of her lip out as her eyes widened in a comical manner. “ _Please?_ ” 

Edelgard’s own eyes rounded at the expression on Byleth’s face. 

Oh, her dear teacher was definitely pouting now.

_Unbelievable._

Edelgard gave a stiff nod, then slid her eyes shut as requested. She stood with her arms still folded tightly across her chest as she listened to the sound of the terrace’s doors creaking open and Byleth slipping past them in hurried footsteps.

Edelgard’s intrigue only grew the longer she had to stay put.

“You can open them now,” called out Byleth, at long last.

Her teacher’s voice sounded distant, as if she were somewhere far away on the terrace. Edelgard obediently opened her eyes, curious as to what her professor had been up to. A part of her wanted to teasingly quip at the older woman for making her wait for so long.

Instead, the view before Edelgard stunned her into silence, quieting away her errant thoughts.

At the center of the terrace, a blanket had been laid out on the floor, the plain white color a stark contrast to the brown tiled floor below. On the corner of the blanket, a bottle of wine had been placed next to two metal wine glasses.

Edelgard walked over for a closer inspection of the beverage, blinking in surprise as she recognized the brand as one of Almyra’s finest wines. _How had Byleth come across this?_

Soft footsteps approached the emperor from behind, and Edelgard turned to see Byleth peering at her with an all-too-pleased look on her face, her arms suspiciously held behind her back as she waited for Edelgard to say something.

“What have you got there, my teacher?” Edelgard asked in mild amusement, though her heart was already soaring at what Byleth had set up for her here.

Byleth smiled warmly as she brought her arms forward, revealing a small armored teddy bear in her hands. Edelgard’s eyes widened as she recognized the crimson red attire the stuffed animal wore - an exact mini replica of her emperor’s regalia, down to the cape and horned crown.

“Is that-?”

“I bought it at the marketplace earlier tonight. It looks just like you, doesn’t it?” Byleth continued smiling wholesomely, an earnest look in her eyes. Edelgard fought in vain as a blush crept up her neck and over her face.

“What’s that supposed to mean?!” she said indignantly, narrowing her eyes at Byleth.

“It’s cute, just like you!”

For a moment, Edelgard merely gaped at Byleth, flabbergasted as to how to react. Upon seeing the happy look on Byleth’s face, however, the younger woman decided that she didn’t have it within her to bring down Byleth’s good mood. She sighed heavily, bringing a hand up to cover her face as she resigned herself to her fate.

“...Do you not like it?”

Edelgard peeked through her fingers to see Byleth watching her with growing concern on her face. The emperor immediately dropped her hand, striding quickly over to her professor as she moved to grasp Byleth’s wrists, keeping the stuffed bear held tightly between her hands.

“No! I mean, I love it,” Edelgard hurriedly said as her hands tightened their grip. She smiled reassuringly at the other woman. “Thank you, my teacher.”

Byleth’s cheeks were rosy, a much darker tint than they had been earlier when she had at first knocked on Edelgard’s door. Edelgard was sure that her own cheeks matched Byleth’s blushing complexion. 

Perhaps they might have even matched the crimson-colored armor the stuffed bear wore.

“According to the merchant I got this from, they’ve only just started making these,” Byleth started babbling as she gazed affectionately into Edelgard’s violet eyes. “But they’ve been selling out fast. The younger ones especially love these bears as the toys bring them great comfort during this time of war.” 

Byleth gently shook Edelgard’s hands off of her wrists before tenderly pushing the bear into Edelgard’s open hands. “You’re really popular among the Adrestian people, you know? You inspire them.” 

She paused before adding more softly, “Just like you inspire me.”

Edelgard’s face heated once more as her fingers curled around the soft exterior of the bear stuffy. “I… I’m glad to hear that,” she replied in as calm a tone as she could muster.

“Come on,” Byleth said as she leaned toward Edelgard, a kind hand gently guiding the other woman in the direction of the blanket. “The stars out are very pretty tonight, and you should at least try out this wine I also got from the marketplace.”

“How did you even manage to procure that bottle of wine?” Edelgard asked as she sat down on the blanket beside Byleth, placing the small bear on her other side. “From what I know, the merchants authorized to sell consumables at the marketplace certainly don’t sell this.” 

Perhaps there was a report Edelgard had missed earlier this month. Maybe it was in the paperwork that she should have been reading earlier tonight. 

She swiftly shoved her thoughts of work away. Now was not the time.

Byleth laughed uneasily as she popped the bottle of wine open. “Let’s not dwell on that.” She poured them two cups of the purplish beverage, then handed Edelgard one of them. Edelgard murmured a small thanks as she took the proffered drink, looking down in mild curiosity at the dark-tinted liquid contained within the stemmed cup.

“It’s really not that important how I got the wine,” Byleth nervously added when Edelgard turned her gaze back up in the other woman’s direction. “Let’s just enjoy it.”

Edelgard raised an eyebrow skeptically before giving a small shrug. Whatever dealings Byleth made in the black market were not her business. The emperor gave her drink a small swirl before bringing the metal cup to her lips, taking a small sip.

The wine was tart and sweet, with just a tiny bitter undercurrent, and Edelgard felt herself relax just a bit more as she leaned back on one arm to gaze up at the stars above.

“Hey,” Byleth called out faintly as Edelgard acknowledged her professor with a slight tilt of her head in the other woman’s direction. “It’ll be more comfortable if you lean on me.”

_What._

Edelgard turned to find Byleth lying on her back, misty teal eyes angled to the side as she patiently waited for Edelgard’s response. Her professor’s hands were folded behind her head and a soft smile played at the corners of her mouth.

“I would love to.”

The words had escaped unbidden from her lips. Edelgard’s heart skipped a beat as she put her cup of wine down a safe distance away from the stuffed bear. Perhaps the alcohol was making her bolder than she normally would have been around Byleth. 

But deep in her soul, Edelgard knew that to be a lie.

She scooted over to the older woman, her lilac eyes never leaving the bright green hues of Byleth’s own eyes. Edelgard shifted her body around so that her back faced Byleth. She let out a small hum as she inclined backwards, leaning until her head rested on Byleth’s stomach. She felt another hand enclose her own as Byleth reached out to hold the emperor’s hand.

Edelgard lifted their joined hands toward the night sky above. A serene sigh left her lips as Edelgard brought their hands to her chest, closing her eyes in contentment. Her mind began to lull as she listened to the gentle rise and fall of Byleth’s soft breathing.

Neither woman spoke as they enjoyed one another’s quiet companionship.

The stars were truly beautiful tonight.

And for just tonight, Edelgard would allow herself to feel safe and at home, cherishing this moment lost in time with the woman she most loved.

\- ❀ -

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The beginning of this last part was originally meant to be a small scene in another fic I was working on, but then I wrote too much and it got too big, and so this multi-chaptered fic was created instead.
> 
> Thanks so much for reading! Stay safe and take care!
> 
> Edit on 8/24: Played the game again recently and realized I got several things wrong description-wise, which personally bothered me, so I have updated the last chapter to fix all that...
> 
> Edit on 10/26: The other fic I was working on got scrapped… This is all that’s left of that idea. Oops.


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